


no more licorice

by chrismouse



Series: Candy Redemption [3]
Category: Codename: Kids Next Door
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-10 05:10:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15942446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chrismouse/pseuds/chrismouse
Summary: After the events of op. LICORICE, Henrietta and Abby try to talk.





	no more licorice

**Author's Note:**

> This story deviates from canon slightly, mostly because Abby seemed out of character in the end of LICORICE to me.  
> Content warning for misgendering.

Henrietta watched the licorice-boned captain advance on Abby and Stickybeard. Though she still felt dizzy from being kicked in the head, her eyes widened in horror. He couldn't hurt them! Not after all they'd done to save her!

But as Black John Licorice walked, the bony clumps of licorice began to fall apart. He got closer and closer, but his body deteriorated in the light of the morning sun; when he finally reached them, he was nothing more than a crumbling husk.

Stickybeard offered Abby another mug of sugar, which she gladly accepted. They toasted and drank, prompting Abby to pass out. Henrietta gasped in spite of herself. Even for the most seasoned candy hunter, the amount of sugar Abby'd had was a lot. Would she be all right?

Stickybeard didn't look too worried. He scooped her up in his arms and snapped his fingers. Two burly-looking pirates ran over.

"Take this lass to the cabin, me mateys," Henrietta heard him say as he gently handed her to them.

"Is she...?"

"A tough little scrap like her? She'll be fine, but she's gonna be mighty sick when she comes to," Stickybeard said. "Now get on with it, and tell the crew we be needing some shovels!"

•  •  •

It didn't take long for the pirates to dig her out of where she'd been buried. The soil around her had not been tightly packed, and it was slightly damp from the soda that had been poured all over it. Stickybeard lifted her out of the hole and untied the ropes binding her.

"There now," he said. "Let's get you somewhere you'll be safe." With that, he picked her up as if she were a much younger child, then stopped.

"Steady on there, my boy, yer shivering," he said, and Henrietta noticed that she was- not from being cold, either. Now that she noticed that, her head was pounding in pain. And the stupid soda the licorice zombies had forced her to drink was leaving a sickly sweet aftertaste.

So even though she knew what had hurt her was gone, and she was surrounded by people who would protect her, she buried her face into Stickybeard's worn coat and shut her eyes as tightly as she could.

•  •  •

She must have fallen asleep after that, because she woke up in the ship's cabin on a bench, her head propped up by a pillow. Noting with some annoyance that she still had a headache, she sat up and immediately caught sight of Abby, fast asleep in a hammock. For a split second, she considered waking her up- but decided against it. She wasn't ready to talk to Abby just yet.

Just when she was wondering what else she could do, Stickybeard appeared on the stairs.

"Feeling better?" he asked, seeing that she was awake.

" _Mein_ head isn't feeling the best, but..." She stopped. "Actually, wait. How did you know where to find me? Or even that I'd gone missing?"

"We didn't," he told her, pointing with his hook to the hammock Abby was asleep in.

"Her?" Henrietta said in disbelief. "But why?"

"I expect she caught word ye weren't locked up in Arctic Prison, so she went to check it out and then came to us."

"No, I understand that, but- _ach_. Never mind."

"All right," he said, turning to go. "Ye'd better lay down some more, lad. Gettin' kicked in the head can be a nasty business."

He turned and tossed her a chocolate, then left.

The next few hours were uneventful. Abby ended up waking up a few times to be sick, but mostly both girls slept in short bursts.

It was only after Henrietta woke up to see Abby's hammock empty that she decided to venture out onto the deck.

"Oh hey, Heiny," Abby said as Henrietta walked over to her.

"Abigail..." She lay her arms on the side of the ship. "I-"

She just wanted to say it, but somehow the words got caught.

"I... never got _ein_ chance to thank you for... saving me," she managed.

"Aw, that's cool," Abby said nonchalantly. She noticed Henrietta looking pensive, though, and elbowed her gently in the arm. "Hey, what are friends for?"

Henrietta stopped brooding and looked up at Abby, her face a mix of confusion and hurt. "What?"

Abby returned the confused look.

"After all that's happened between us, you- you still consider us friends?" Henrietta went on, her eyes narrowing a bit.

Abby gently put her hand on her shoulder. "Heiny..."

Henrietta brushed it off. "Just leave me alone! _Please_ ," she added more quietly.

Abby gave her a soft nod and walked to the other side of the deck, leaving her to return to her brooding.

•  •  •

It was a while before Henrietta noticed the air around her was getting colder. And it wasn't from the wind chill, either- she'd thought that at first, but the temperature had continued to drop until it was enough to make her shiver. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Abby putting on a puffy blue coat. Obviously she had prepared for the weather, so Henrietta went over against her better judgement.

"It's too cold to be without a coat," she said, hoping Abby would take the hint.

"Yep," Abby said, and then: "If you want to share mine, you just gotta ask."

"Well... would you mind?"

"Why would I?"

She shrugged off half the coat and handed the sleeve to Henrietta, who took a moment to register exactly how they'd share it. It was thankfully big enough for the two of them to fit inside comfortably if they got close. Abby casually leaned into Henrietta, who couldn't help but blush.

"So!" she said, remembering why she'd come over. "Do you know where we're going?"

"Oh, you know," Abby said vaguely. "Somewhere safe."

"That doesn't answer _mein_ question."

Abby hesitated. "If I tell you, you won't like it."

"Why, where could possibly..." Henrietta stopped, and stared at her in horror. "You wouldn't!"

"Look, Heiny, I'm sorry. I really am," said Abby. "But there's no way the Arctic Base guards wouldn't notice you were still missing if I didn't bring you back, and-"

"You could just tell them I got away and you couldn't catch me!"

"I could, but I won't," she replied firmly. "You'll be safe at the Arctic Base."

"I don't need-" Henrietta started, but then closed her mouth angrily. "I can take care of myself, Abigail."

Just then, a voice from the crow's nest rang out. "Land ho!"

"Come on," Abby said, starting toward the gangway. Henrietta, though, remained stubbornly in place.

"I'm not going."

Abby sighed and unzipped the coat. "What'll it take to convince you?"

Henrietta sat down on the deck and crossed her arms. "Short of carrying me in, nothing."

•  •  •

"Von Marzipan... no longer MIA..." the security officer said, scribbling on his clipboard with an amused look on his face. "I take it there was no trouble bringing him in, then?"

"No more than usual," Abby replied, glancing at Henrietta. She still had her face covered by her hand in embarrassment at being bridal-carried all the way to the Arctic Prison.

"Excellent," the officer said. "I think you know where the cell is, right? You can escort the prisoner there."

Abby nodded and walked off with Henrietta still in her arms.

"I can walk, you know," she muttered when they were out of earshot of the guard.

"All right, then." Abby set her down softly, and the two of them walked in silence to Henrietta's cell.

"You know," Henrietta said when they reached it, "I'll probably just break out after you leave."

"You do that."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Nah. I just think it'd be better for you to spend the next two weeks here without incident." Abby walked her into the room. "You'll be up for parole then."

Henrietta sat down on her bed without a word and turned towards the wall.

"See you around." Abby left, locking the door behind her.

She had no way of knowing, but she had just given her former partner reason to stay.

A reason having to do with caramel.


End file.
